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THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy and Facebook and Linkedin. At Garbor Shores home of the 2018 Sr. PGA Championship.

With all the championships in the area, the media day circuit had to begin soon, and it does today, with a stop at the Harbor Shores Golf Club in Benton or Michigan.

The Kitchen-Aid Sr. PGA Championship is first on the tee, and defending champion Bernhard Langer joins the day with some thoughts on his win last year at Trump National in DC.

That win at Trump National earned Langer an invite to play golf with President Donald Trump, which due to scheduling has not yet happened, but Langer says he will golf Trump when the scheduling works out and he is looking forward to it. One thing that Langer was looking forward to doing was defending his Sr. PGA Championship title, but he announced today that, that won’t happen.

Langer’s son is graduating from high school that weekend in Florida and as Langer explained, in his family it’s family first. But Langer does plan to play the other four senior majors this year, including the Sr. Players Championship at Exmoor Country Club in Highland Park.

That leaves the championship wide open, but 2015 champion at Harbor Shores Colin Montgomerie should be among the favorites.

After doing the media day skit with PGA communications guru Julius Mason, Langer did a media session with the attending press.

Click here to hear the media session with Bernhard Langer during media day at the Harbor Shores Golf Club in Benton Harbor.

The Golf Club at Harbor Shores is a Jack Nicklaus designed golf course. One thing was noticeable on the course during media day, was the area’s around the 10th, 11th and 12th holes that have been cleaned out for better spectator viewing. It should help make for a great championship come the end of May. I’ll have more details about the Senior PGA and comment from Bernhard Langer in the days ahead.

IT WAS NICE ON OUR GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO SHOW this past Saturday t break a little more news. Illinois Open and and Illinois Amateur Champion Patrick Flavin announced he will defend his title at the Illinois Open August 6-8 at the Glen Club and Ravina Green the second course. Flavin added he might remain amateur this summer. There is no word yet where the area’s BIG 3 college seniors, Doug Ghim, Nick Hardy and Flavin will be playing once they turn professional, that is except for Hardy who will make his professional debut at the Rust Oleum Championship the first week of June at the Ivanhoe CC in Mundelein. Hardy was given an exemption to play in the Web.com event, and will turn pro there.

I’d like to thank our guest host Chad Johansen the Pro-GM from Blackberry Oaks GC in Bristol and home of the Blackberry Amateur on June 23-24, the goal this year is to finally fill the field at 120 players. In past years the field size has been in the mid-90’s and it’s time this year to get all 120 spots.

THIS WEEK our guest host is the publisher of the Illinois Golfer Tim Cronin, who is also an author who has written several books on area clubs and the Western Golf Association. Mistwood Director of Golf Andy Mickelson is in the house on May 5th.

THE WEATHER is starting to break a little, hopefully it means more time on the course for everyone, we are sure due for the golf season to get into full swing. RS